Fried bean empanadas with coriander dipping sauce

A simple cornmeal dough holds a filling of beans, leek and capsicum. Serve these crisp, golden empanadas with a vibrant coriander and mint dipping sauce.

Fried bean empanadas with coriander dipping sauce. Credit: Freshly Picked with Simon Toohey

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (40 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 leeks
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 400 g can pinto beans, drained
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch salt & pepper
• 500 ml vegetable, extra, oil for frying

Dough

• 300 g white cornmeal
• 450 ml water
• ½ tsp salt

Coriander dipping sauce

• 1 bunch coriander
• 1 bunch mint, leaves
• 2 limes, juice only
• 1 long green chilli (remove the seeds and vein for a milder level of heat)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ cup water

Instructions

1. In a pan on medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil. Then add diced garlic, diced leeks, diced red capsicum and a pinch of salt and cook until the leek is translucent and the peppers have leached out their red colouring, about 10 minutes, stirring slowly. Add the whole cumin and smoked paprika and cook for another 30 seconds. Add pinto beans, cooking for 5 more minutes on medium heat. With a masher, mash the ingredients roughly. You don’t want the consistency of smooth mashed potatoes, rather, a little texture is always nice. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix the cornmeal, water and salt in a bowl. Take out 1 sheet of baking paper (about A4 size) and a mug. (This is a cheat’s way. Super easy). Very lightly spray oil on the paper or rub the oil with your fingers.
3. Take out a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll it to 1.5 mm thick on the baking paper, as close to a circle as possible. Then with a dessert spoon, lay the filling in the middle of the dough. Picking up the baking paper, gently fold the dough in half so that the filling is being covered in the middle. Using the side of the mug, place it over the filling about halfway, to create a half-moon shape. Press gently to seal. Once pressed, take the newly formed empanada and place on a baking tray for frying. Keep going until all the filling or dough mixture is used up.
4. Add 500 ml of vegetable oil to a pan and bring to 170-180°C. Fry for approx. 7 minutes or until super crisp and golden on the outside.
5. For the sauce, add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until a wet sauce has formed. Serve empanadas with sauce on the side, for dipping.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.